Surface masking device



Feb. 4, 1964 M. E. HARBOUR SURFACE MASKING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2, 1960 INVENTOR.

MARION E. HARBOUR ATTO Y IIIIIIIIIIII I 11w m I IIIIIIIIIIIIII :3;

Feb. 4, 1964 M. E. HARBOUR 3, 2 ,46

SURFACE MASKING DEVICE Filed Aug. 2, 1960 4 Shets-Sheet 2 Fig.2.-

In I w MARION E. HARBOUR BY W ATTO NEY Feb. 4, 1964 M. E. HARBOUR SURFACE MASKING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 2, 1960 INVENTOR. MARION E. HARBOUR ATT RNEY Feb. 4, 1964 M. E. HARBOUR 3,120,461

SURFACE MASKING DEVICE Filed Aug. 2, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 3,120,461 SURFACE MASIHNG DEVICE Marion E. Harbour, 2934 Arroya Chico, Tucson, Ariz., assignor of eight percent to .lerry L. Molinari, and thirteen and one=third percent each to Glenn R. Harbour, F. Bryan Harbour, and Richard F. Hopkins Filed Aug. 2, 1969, Ser. No. 47,002 9 Claims. (Cl. 156-554) My invention relates to an improved manually operable masking device, particularly useful for masking doors and windows in automobiles during the painting thereof, but having other similar uses.

In my co-pending applications, Serial Nos. 44,083, and 44,084, filed July 20, 1960, I disclosed an improved apparatus for the application of masking tape to various types of surfaces preparatory to performing some Work on an object such for example as the painting of automobiles. While the masking tape applied in accordance with my co-pending applications may have various widths, it is at times desirable to mask a greater surface than would normally be covered by the tape itself. Examples of such surfaces are windows and the windshield of an automobile which are preferably completely masked during a spray painting operation. Heretofore, it has been the practice to secure one or more strips of paper over such surfaces by means of pressure sensitive tape, performing the entire operation manually. When this is done, it not only is a time consuming operation and sometimes not completely effective, but it is also necessary to separately cover molding around the surface such as occurs for example around the back window of an automobile.

Accordingly, the principal object of the invention is the provision of an improved masking device for covering surfaces of the type described.

Another object is the provision of a masking device which may be used to apply masking tape accurately to a molding or other surface contiguous to a large surface which is required to be masked and concomitantly to deliver paper from a roll to the large surface and secure the said paper in place by means of the masking tape.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a masking device which is manually opera-ted and which automatically delivers paper and pressure sensitive masking tape for application to a surface and in which the masking tape engages both the paper and the surface to hold the paper in position.

Other specific objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the device of my invention with some of the principal parts separated to show construction;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View through the portion of the device which holds the paper, the view indicating the manner in which the device is adjustable to accommodate ditto-rent widths of paper on a roll;

FIG. 3 is an exploded sectional view showing the principal parts involved in the guiding and positioning of the paper and masking tape and the applicator roller which contacts the surface on which the combination of paper and tape is applied;

PEG. 4 is a perspective view showing the device as it is used with the paper and tape in the positions which they occupy during application;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing more specifically the manner in which the tape is guided to a position to overlap the paper during an applicating procedure;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the paper and masking tape mounted in a different manner for application of the combination of paper and tape in a different direction to a particular surface;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing one manner in which the applicator roller may be modified to apply tape to a plane surface.

In accordance with the main features of my invention, I mount a roll of paper and a roll of masking tape on spools which are preferably axially aligned but which may, if desired, have other relative positions, guide the paper as it is unrolled to a surface over a guide roller to concomitantly guide the tape to a position overlapping the paper at one margin over an applicator roller coaxially with the paper guide roller, so that as the tape is applied to a surface a portion of the tape along one edge overlaps one edge of the paper to also secure the paper to such surface. In guiding and applying the masking tape, I may use any of the features disclosed in my copending applications having the efiect of positively positioning the masking tape with respect to the guide roller so that precision application to a selected surface is assured. While tape may be applied to both margins of the paper, I have shown an embodiment of the invention in which only one edge of the paper is secured in place by the masking tape, an arrangement which I find satisfactory for most uses. In most instances where it is desirable to apply tape on the opposite margin of the paper to secure it to a surface, a masking tape applicator such as disclosed in my co-pending applications can be used to advantage.

Referring now to the drawings, the embodiment of my invention there shown comprises a paper holding and dispensing member 10 and a tape holding and dispensing member 11, the latter, however, including both the guide roller for the paper and the guide and applicator rollers for the tape. The paper holding and dispensing member includes a pair of mutually telescoping tubes 12 and 13 carrying hubs 14 and :16 extending around the ends of a paper roll and rings 17 and 18 for receiving the usual cardboard mandrel on which the paper is wound. The hubs 1-4 and 16 have peripheral openings 19 and 21 respectively for passing edges of the paper as it is delivered to the applicator mechanism. The construction and arrangement of the mutually telescoping tubes 12 and 13 is such that the peripheral openings 19 and 21 are always in alignment. The relative positions of the parts are also adjustable to accommodate paper rolls of different widths.

Referring now first to FIG. 2 the smaller tube 12 has a groove 22 in which a projection 23 on the inside of the tube 13 engages so that the tubes 12 and 13 may be Inutually telescoped only when they are in such a position that the groove 22 and projection 23, functioning as a keyway and key respectively, are in alignment.

To secure the tubes 12 and 13; in the position to which they are adjusted the tube 12 is made to fit relatively snugly within the tube 13 and the tube 12 provided with means for its expansion to friotionally engage the inner surface of tube 13. While many specific arrangements may be utilized for this purpose, I provide a threaded rod 24 which engages in a tapered nut 26 which engages against a tapered end portion of the tube 12. A projection 27 from the tapered nut 26 engages in an end slot 28 in the tube 12 to prevent its turning. A longer end slot 29 in alignment with the groove 22 permits the end of the tube 12 to expand peripherally when the tapered nut 26 is drawn in against the internally tapered end of the tube 12. A Wing nut 31 on the projecting end of the rod 24 is provided for this purpose. An external ring 32 on the end of the tub 13 has approximately the same outer diameter as rings 17 and 13.

The tape supporting and applicator portion of the device includes a single piece. frame 33 with a tubular portion 34 engaging over a projecting end 36 of the tube 13. An insert 37 in the projection 36 provides a pair of keys 38 which engage with a pair of keyways 39 in the frame 33 in alignment with the tubular portion 34. By inserting the projection 36 into the tubular projection 34 from the frame 33 with the keys 38 in the keyways 39, the sub-assemblies 1t) and 11 when brought together will place the peripheral slots 19 and 21 in proper relation with respect to the guide and applicator mechanism carried by the frame 33. A screw 41 extends through a hole 42 in the frame and is threaded into a threaded recess 43 in the insert 37 to hold the parts in assembled relation. The frame 33 carries an offsetting roller 44, guide roller 46, stabilizer roller 47 and applicator roller 48 on integral shafts 49, 51, 52 and 53 respectively. A ring 54 rotatably mounted on the tubular projection 34 forms a spool for a roll of masking tape which is successively passed over the offsetting roller, guide roller, stabilizer roller and applicator roller as it is delivered to masking position with one of its side edges overlapping one side edge of the paper.

The primary function of the offsetting roller is to sharply pitch the tape A toward the paper B as shown particularly in FIGS. 4, and 6. Since the offsetting roller will come in contact with the coated side of the masking tape, its exterior surface is preferably knurled or otherwise finished to provide only a relatively small surface contact with the tape itself. As the drawings clearly show, the axis of the offsetting roller 44 is sharply pitched backwardly towards the spool 54 and the offsetting roller itself is tapered with its larger diameter facing toward the paper. A special nut 56 supports the offsetting roller 44 rotatably on its shaft 49.

The guide roller 46 is also tapered, but the larger diameter end faces away from the paper. Its axis is also pitched slightly backwardly, but not as much as the axis of the offsetting roller. Its function is partly to stabilize the tape to the position which it has been offset by the offsetting roller and guide it in a straight line parallel to the edge of the paper B. The function can be seen clearly by examining the path which the tape defines as shown in FIG. 5. The guide roller 46 may have a smooth exterior surface because it does not come in contact with the coated side of the tape. It is held in rotatable relation on its shaft 51 by a special nut 57.

The function of the stabilizer roller is to deliver the tape very accurately with respect to the periphery of the applicator roller so that it will always engage the full surface of the applicator roller without overlapping its edges. In my co pending applications, I disclosed precision masking tape applicators comprising only a support for the tape, a stabilizer roller and an applicator roller. In these applicators the tape was fed forwardly substantially in line with the periphery of the applicator rollers and, except where special circumstances required offsetting of the tape, the tape was fed to the masked surface at a position substantially opposite to that of the supported roll of tape. In my present invention, the tape is offset in order to cause it to partially overlap the paper which is held in place by it. As a consequence in the present invention the tape is delivered to the stabilizer roller in a path parallel with the line at which it would normally be delivered from the roll if the offsetting rollers and guide rollers were not employed. As a consequence the relationship between the stabilizer roller and the applicator roller in my present invention is substantially the same as in my copending applications, and the same general features and functions are applicable throughout.

As FIG. 3 clearly shows, the shaft 52 for the stabilizer roller is slanted forwardly slightly with respect to the applicator roller 48, the amount of forward slanting depending upon several factors. If the tape is delivered in a true path and is fully stabilized in this path, then a forward taper of 1 to 2 is adequate. The taper brings the tape slightly toward the frame 33 or toward the guide disk of the applicator roller which will later be described, and in accomplishing this function the stabilizer roller may be slightly tapered away from the frame 33 as in my co-pending applications if desired. The function of the stabilizer roller is to assure precision delivery of the tape to the applicator roller. Since the stabilizer roller is in contact with the coated side of the tape, it is finished in such a manner as to provide a small area of contact, and a special nut 58 is employed to hold it on the shaft 52in rotatable relation therewith.

A paper guide roller 59 is mounted on the same shaft 53 with the applicator roller 48 and as appears clear from FIGS. 4 through 6 the paper also slightly overlaps the applicator roller so that when the tape is fed to the applicator roller it will be overlapped by the tape along one edge. The paper guide roller 59 is slightly rounded away from the applicator roller so that its rigid exterior surface will not in any way interfere with the application of the tape to a selected surface. The paper guide roller may of course be made in such a manner as to provide a resilient peripheral surface, but I have not found this to be necessary for adequate and precise results.

The applicator roller includes a hub member 61 having a retaining flange 62 at its outside end. An internal sleeve 63 has a flared flange 64 engaging a guide disk 66, the outer peripheral edge of which is flush with or extends slightly beyond the peripheral surface of an applicator member 67. The applicator member 67 is preferably of live rubber, and it has an annular edge slot 68 so that within the region of the slot it may readily be compressed to allow for the double thickness of paper and tape which results from the overlapping of the tape and paper in this area. As the drawings clearly show, the applicator roller is also of slightly greater diameter than the paper guide roller 59 in this area so that the guide roller 59 will never come into such firm engagement with a surface being masked as to interfere with the functioning of the applicator roller in applying the masking tape in a selected position.

The applicator roller as shown in FIG. 3 is adapted for applying the tape to a molding or the like, such as around the rear window of an automobile, and the guide disk 66 functions to positively and precisely place the masking tape on such molding. In my co-pending applications referred to hereinabove, the guide disk is resiliently mounted, a small live rubber washer being used in the embodiment of the invention there illustrated, so that the guide disk can adjust to irregularities on the surface on which it is riding. In the structure shown in FIG. 3, such resiliency is obtained in part by the construction. It will be noted that the guide disk 66 is shaped on one side with a shoulder to engage a corresponding inner annular shoulder on the resilient applicator member 67, and on the opposite side has a shoulder which is peripherally spaced from the edge of the flared flange 64. The guide disk 66 is thus firmly held in position but is free to move edgewise as permitted by the resiliency of the applicator member, but has its movement limited by the distance between the edge of the flared flange 64 and the continguous shoulder on the guide disk. The entire assembly comprising the applicator roller 48 and paper guide roller 59 is rotatably held on the shaft 53 by a special nut 69.

The entire assembly carrying both the roll of tape and roll of paper ready for application as shown in FIG. 4 is supported in one hand by a handle 71 which projects into a slot 72 in the frame 33 where it is held by a nut 73. The handle 71 may be made in various sizes but is preferably light in weight, and I have found that a combination of aluminum and wood is suitable for the purpose because by means of a wooden insert 74 the handle is made large enough in diameter to be grasped easily, and its position is such that the whole assembly is well balanced when grasped in one hand.

While the applicator roller as shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 is provided with a guide disk to facilitate application of the tape to a molding, as around a window, and the periphery of the applicator roller is suitably shaped to conform at least generally to the shape of the molding on which the tape is to be applied, the applicator roller may also be designed for application to a perfectly flat surface when such form of application is indicated. In FIG. 7 I show such an applicator roller, and for convenience and to shorten the description I have applied thereto the same reference characters shown in FIG. 3, with, however, the numeral 1 to indicate modification. In this form of the invention there is no guide disk and the flange 164, instead of being flared, extends directly at right angles to the axis of shaft 153 and engages one side of the applicator member 167. The remaining parts of the masking device comprising FIG. 7 can be identical with those shown in the first described embodiment of the invention.

In using the masking device of the present invention, paper of suitable width if mounted in the sub-assembly 16, the wing nut 31 being tightened to adjust the overall length so that the paper is snugly but not tightly held in position. The masking tape used is selected to be of the same width as the applicator member 67 (or 167 as the case may be) and the selected roll is mounted on the spool 54-. The tape is then trained over the several rollers described in the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, assuming masking is to be accomplished from right to left at the bottom of a panel or left to right at the top of a panel. The paper is drawn out straight where it will be found to slightly overlap both we applicator roller and the tape on the applicator roller as shown in the drawings. When now the applicator roller is placed on a molding and drawn lengthwise of the molding with the guide disk riding in the crevice between the molding and surface on which the molding is secured, the tape and paper together will be drawn out and the tape will be applied to the molding and the paper will overlay the surface above the molding. Depending on the exact configuration of the molding, the paper may lay flat or project outwardly, even at right angles to the surface on which it is to be applied. By running the applicator roller along both the bottom and top of the rear window of an automobile, as an example, more than enough paper usually will be provided to cover the entire area of the rear window. By bringing the paper together at its free edges, laying it flat if the particular circumstances require that this be done, and attaching the overlapping edges of the paper together with pressure sensitive tape, the entire window is quickly and completely covered and the molding around the window will also be completely and accurately covered.

The masking tape used may be of various widths, but in all instances it is preferably of exactly the same width as the applicator roller. I have found that for most purposes masking tape three-quarter inches in width may be used successfully in the practice of the present invention. It is of course obvious that by suitably shaping the periphery of the applicator roller, the paper may be caused to lay flat against the masked surface at all times. In the very large number of experiments which I have conducted, however, in masking surfaces of various types by means of the device of the present invention, I have found that it is not essential that the paper be caused to lay exactly flat at all times. When the paper is bound with the masking tape along only one edge (it can for special purposes be bound on both edges by the use of two rolls of masking tape with corresponding applicator mechanism) additional attachment of the free edge is usually required, and when making such attachment the position of the paper with respect to the surface which it covers can always be adjusted. Because of the nature of the applicator roller shown in FIG. 7 and the fact that by its use the application would be to a substantially flat surface the paper and tape will always adhere flatly to the surface to which they are applied.

I have shown and described specific embodiments of my invention so that those skilled in the art may understand the manner of practicing the same, but the scope of the invention is defined by the claims.

I claim:

l. A manually operable masking device comprising a paper holding and dispensing member including a pair of mutually telescoping tubes with surfaces for supporting a roll of paper, means for securing said telescoping tubes together at a selected position to accommodate different widths of paper, and paper retaining hubs at ends of said telescoping tubes, 2. frame member secured at one end to one end of the paper holding and dispensing member, a spool on said frame for supporting a roll of pressure sensitive tape, an operating handle carried by the frame, an applicator roller carried at an outer end of the frame, a paper guide roller coaxial with the applicator roller of slightly smaller diameter, the paper guide roller and applicator roller being so positioned that the paper when unrolled extends over the entire peripheral surface of the paper guide roller and partly overlaps the applicator roller, and means for feeding the tape from said roll into direct alignment with the applicator roller to cause the tape to partially overlap the paper, whereby when the tape is applied to a surface it partly adheres to the surface and partly adheres to the paper, whereby also to apply the paper to such surface.

2. A manually operable masking device comprising a paper holding and dispensing member including a pair of mutually telescoping tubes with surfaces for supporting a roll of paper, and paper retaining hubs at ends of said telescoping tubes, a frame member secured atone end to one end of the paper holding and dispensing member, a spool on said frame for supporting a roll of pressure sensitive tape, an operating handle carried by the frame, an applicator roller carried at an outer end of the frame, a paper guide roller coaxial with the applicator roller of slightly smaller diameter, the paper guide roller and applicator roller being so positioned that the paper when unrolled extends over the entire peripheral surface of the paper guide roller and partly overlaps the applicator roller, and means for feeding the tape from said roll into direct alignment with the applicator roller to cause the tape to partially overlap the paper, whereby when the tape is applied to a surface it partly adheres to the surface and partly adheres to the paper, whereby also to apply the paper to such surface.

3. A masking device as defined in claim 2 wherein said handle projects into general parallel alignment with the said telescoping paper supporting tubes whereby to balance the device for use with one hand.

4. A masking device as defined in claim 2 whereby said applicator roller carries a guide disk at that edge thereof facing away from the paper to permit guiding the device for application of the tape to a molding around a surface to be masked by the paper.

5. A masking device as defined in claim 2 wherein said applicator roller carries a resiliently supported guide disk at that edge thereof facing away from the paper to permit guiding the device for application of the tape to a molding around a surface to be masked by the paper.

6. A masking device as defined claim 2 wherein said applicator roller includes an outer applicator member of resilient material, and wherein an annular edge slot is provided therein in the area in which the paper and tape overlap to facilitate conformation to said double thickness of paper and tape during application.

7. A manually operable masking device comprising a paper holding and dispensing member including a pair of mutually telescoping tubes with surfaces for supporting a roll of paper, and paper retaining hubs at ends of said telescoping tubes, a frame member secured at one end to one end of the paper holding and dispensing member, a spool on said frame for supporting a roll of pressure sensitive tape, an operating handle carried by the frame, an applicator roller carried at an outer end of the frame, a

paper guide roller coaxial with the applicator roller of slightly smaller diameter, the paper guide roller and applicator roller being so positioned that the paper when unrolled extends over the entire peripheral surface of the paper guide roller and partly overlaps the applicator roller, an offsetting roller carried by the frame to divert the tape in the direction of the paper as it leaves the roll, a guide roller securing the tape leaving the olfsetting roller to guide it generally in a path parallel to the papers edge, and a stabilizer roller to accurately position the tape on the applicator roller.

8. A manually operable masking device comprising a paper holding and dispensing member including a pair of mutually telescoping tubes with surfaces for supporting a roll of paper, and paper retaining hubs at ends of said telescoping tubes, a frame member secured at one end to one end of the paper holding and dispensing member, a spool on said frame for supporting a roll of pressure sensitive tape, an operating handle carried by the frame, an applicator roller carried at an outer end of the frame, a paper guide roller coaxial with the applicator roller of slightly smaller diameter, the paper guide roller and applicator roller being so positioned that the paper when unrolled extends over the entire peripheral surface of the paper guide roller and partly overlaps the applicator roller, an ofisetting roller carried by the frame to divert the tape in the direction of the paper as it leaves the roll, a guide roller securing the tape leaving the offsetting roller to guide it generally in a path parallel to the papers edge, and a stabilizer roller to accurately position the tape on 8 the applicator roller, said offsetting roller being tapered outwardly away from its base and slanted forwardly toward the guide roller, said guide roller being tapered with its larger diameter at its base and being slanted rearwardly slightly away from the applicator roller.

9. A manually operable masking device comprising a paper holding and dispensing member including a pair of mutually telescoping tubes with surfaces for supporting a roll of paper, and paper retaining hubs at ends of said telescoping tubes, a frame member secured at one end to one end of the paper holding and dispensing member, a spool on said frame for supporting a roll of pressure sensitive tape, an operating handle carried by the frame, an applicator roller carried at an outer end of the frame, a paper guide roller coaxial with the applicator roller of slightly smaller diameter, the paper guide roller and applicator roller being so positioned that the paper when unrolled extends over the entire peripheral surface of the paper guide roller and partly overlaps the applicator roller, an off-setting roller carried by the frame to divert the tape in the direction of the paper as it leaves the roll, a guide roller securing the tape leaving the offsetting roller to guide it generally in a path parallel to the papers edge, and a stabilizer roller to accurately position the tape on the applicator roller, said stabilizer roller being slanted slightly forwardly toward the applicator roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,710,640 Winkelman June 14, 1955 

1. A MANUALLY OPERABLE MASKING DEVICE COMPRISING A PAPER HOLDING AND DISPENSING MEMBER INCLUDING A PAIR OF MUTUALLY TELESCOPING TUBES WITH SURFACES FOR SUPPORTING A ROLL OF PAPER, MEANS FOR SECURING SIAD TELESCOPING TUBES TOGETHER AAT A SELECTED POSITION TO ACCOMMODATE DIFFERENT WIDTHS OF PAPER, AND PAPER RETAINING HUBS AT ENDS OF SAID TELESCOPING TUBES, A FRAME MEMBER SECURED AT ONE END TO ONE END OF THE PAPER HOLDING AND DISPENSING MEMBER, A SPOOL ON SIAD FRAME FOR SUPPORTING A ROLL OF PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPE, AN OPERATING HANDLE CARRIED BY THE FRAME, AN APPLICATOR ROLLER CARRIED AT AN OUTER END OF THE FRAME, A PAPER GUIDE ROLLER COAXIAL WITH THE APPLICATOR ROLLER OF SLIGHTLY SMALLER DIAMETER, THE PAPER GUIDE ROLLER AND APPLICATOR ROLLER BEING SO POSITIONED THAT THE PAPER WHEN UNROLLED EXTENDS OVER THE ENTIRE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE PAPER GUIDE ROLLER AND PARTLY OVERLAPS THE APPLICATOR ROLLER, AND MEANS FOR FEEDING THE TAPE FROM SAID ROLL INTO DIRECT ALIGNMENT WITH THE APPLICATOR ROLLER TO CAUSE THE TAPE TO PARTIALLY OVERLAP THE PAPER, WHEREBY WHEN THE TAPE IS APPLIED TO A SUSRFACE IT PARTLY ADHERES TO THE SURFACE AND PARTLY ADHERES TO THE PAPER, WHEREBY ALSO TO APPLY THE PAPER TO SUCH SURFACE. 